How To Address A Letter With To Whom It May Concern

we hope out of true respect for all deaf, deaf-blind, deaf-disabled, and hard of hearing (ddbddhh) children, you take the time to read this letter. this is to express deep concern, and call for dialogue

How To Address A Letter With To Whom It May Concern, in regards to your recent letter to the washington post’s “the reliable source” column on april 1, 2016, criticizing nyle dimarco and his recent success - more specifically your target against sign language and deaf culture. your letter demonstrates what we call linguicism – oppression towards particular languages.

in what you may feel was an innocent expression of choice, was an intentional claim that american sign language (asl) is a dying language and therefore an insignificant form of communication. when in reality, it is a growing, complex language and repeatedly proven critical for our ddbddhh children’s cognitive development. your act of marginalizing asl

also shows devaluation of many other signed languages in the united states: mexican sign language (lsm), cuban sign language (csl), puerto rican sign language (prsl), keresan pueblo indian sign language (kpisl) and plain indian sign language (pisl), this also includes tactile sign language used by individuals who are deafblind. we also recognize that your international affiliates and offices around the world are promoting the same practice –

exclusion of sign language as a critical component to child development among ddbddhh children. therefore, leaving this not only a national concern, but a persistent form of bigotry against sign languages and children globally; knowingly since the beginning of the organization’s establishment. council de manos aims to end the impact of misconceptions your organization has attempted to spread. we aim to end the cycle of thousands of ddbddhh children being deprived of sign languages, which would have maximized their potential to an even greater extent. we aim to end your strategy of withholding facts and research

from parents during their most vulnerable times. and we aim to uphold alexander graham bell and all affiliates to higher standards of civil rights, integrity, and inclusion. we believe that all children, whether deaf, deaf-blind, deaf-disabled, hard of hearing, or hearing, are entitled to multicultural and multilingual upbringings, especially when cognitive development is at jeopardy. council de manos encourages parents and family members to include sign language(s) as the foundation language for cognition, and then other chosen modalities when applicable.

we want to assure you that signing deaf, deafblind, deafdisabled, and hard of hearing communities are available to provide guidance and references to support your journey in raising your deaf and hard of hearing child(ren).